MY LIFE - JEAN L.S. PATRICK
Jean Louise Streufert, Age 8
As you already know, I'm a children's book author. Most of all, I love discovering little-known stories from history and helping them come alive.
But I suppose some of you want the basic facts about my life, right? Here it goes:
I was born in Carbondale, Illinois (way down in the southern tip of the state). However, I was raised in suburban Chicago where I played baseball with my brothers and cheered endlessly for the Chicago Cubs.
When I was fourteen, my family moved to Lindsborg, Kansas, where I spent my high school years running track, playing tennis, and playing clarinet in the band and orchestra. I sat next to my best friend, Toni, which may not have been wise because we spent most of our time laughing behind our music stands and getting into wars with the trombone section.
When I was eighteen, I went to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where I majored in English (and also studied history and elementary education). After that, I went to graduate school for three years at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, where I earned an M.A. in English. I also completed a M.F.A. from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2014.
As far as my personal life? My husband and I live in South Dakota where we raised three children and more animals than I can count.
The newest animal on the place is Freda, a hyperactive German wire-haired pointer. She usually goes to work with my husband (a veterinarian), but during the evening, she gets to come in the house. We're doing our best to teach her to stay on a pillow like the dog in the L.L. Bean catalog, but that isn't working out so well.
But back to my life . . . Besides being an author, I'm a Touring Artist for the South Dakota Arts Council & am on the Speakers Bureau for the SD Humanities Council. I love to travel to schools, libraries, and conferences to talk about writing.
Meanwhile, I write a weekly children's book column for the (Mitchell) Daily Republic; lead book discussions for the SD Humanities Council; and serve as the children's librarian at the Mitchell Public Library (the same place where I wrote and researched many of my books).
When I'm not doing any of those things, you can find me watching baseball, playing tennis, or taking an early morning run down our dirt road.
But I suppose some of you want the basic facts about my life, right? Here it goes:
I was born in Carbondale, Illinois (way down in the southern tip of the state). However, I was raised in suburban Chicago where I played baseball with my brothers and cheered endlessly for the Chicago Cubs.
When I was fourteen, my family moved to Lindsborg, Kansas, where I spent my high school years running track, playing tennis, and playing clarinet in the band and orchestra. I sat next to my best friend, Toni, which may not have been wise because we spent most of our time laughing behind our music stands and getting into wars with the trombone section.
When I was eighteen, I went to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where I majored in English (and also studied history and elementary education). After that, I went to graduate school for three years at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, where I earned an M.A. in English. I also completed a M.F.A. from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2014.
As far as my personal life? My husband and I live in South Dakota where we raised three children and more animals than I can count.
The newest animal on the place is Freda, a hyperactive German wire-haired pointer. She usually goes to work with my husband (a veterinarian), but during the evening, she gets to come in the house. We're doing our best to teach her to stay on a pillow like the dog in the L.L. Bean catalog, but that isn't working out so well.
But back to my life . . . Besides being an author, I'm a Touring Artist for the South Dakota Arts Council & am on the Speakers Bureau for the SD Humanities Council. I love to travel to schools, libraries, and conferences to talk about writing.
Meanwhile, I write a weekly children's book column for the (Mitchell) Daily Republic; lead book discussions for the SD Humanities Council; and serve as the children's librarian at the Mitchell Public Library (the same place where I wrote and researched many of my books).
When I'm not doing any of those things, you can find me watching baseball, playing tennis, or taking an early morning run down our dirt road.